Councils and the Court Flashcards
What was the Kings Council?
The Kings Council advised the King, administered the realm on the king’s behalf and made any legal judgements.
How many men were eligible to sit on the Council?
277 men
How many men attended the smaller meetings in reality?
6-8 men
What were the three main types of councillor?
1) Members of the nobility (Lord Daubenay and Dynham)
2) Churchmen such as John Morton and Richard Fox, who had legal training and were excellent administrators
3) Laymen, either gentry or lawyers. Skilled administrators such as Reginald Bray and Edmund Dudley.
What the Council Learned in Law?
This is the main offshoot of the Council and was developed during the second half of HVII during the reign, under Bray’s leadership. It was not recognised as a court of law.
Where did the Council Learned in Law meet?
It often met in the office of the Duchy of Lancaster
What was the function of the Council Learned in Law?
It was to :-
1) maintain the king’s revenue
2) to exploit the king’s prerogative rights.
What are Prerogative rights?
The rights or powers which the monarch could exercise without requiring the consent of parliament.
What system was made effective under the Council Learned in Law?
The system of bonds and recognisances and was then able to entrap many of the king’s subjects.
Who was in charge of this offshoot?
Reginald Bray (until his death in 1503) and Richard Empson. Dudley then joined Empson after Bray’s death. They formed a feared combination of able and conscientious bureaucrats who raised the extraction of money from the king’s subjects to a fine art.
What happened to Empson and Dudley after the death of HVII?
They were seized and taken to the Tower of London and were executed by HVIII. They were hated amongst nobility.
What was the court?
The court was at the centre of the government and the royal court had to be magnificent and generous seeming as wealth was power.
Where was the royal court found?
It was found wherever the king was at any given time and was where the power of the monarchy was demonstrated to all courtiers in attendance.
What was distributed through the royal court?
Rewards and status were distributed to those who were deserving, or well-connected.
What were the two different levels to the court?
1) The Household Proper, which was responsible for looking after the king, the courtiers’ guests and other ‘hangers-on’ who were being entertained. Lord Stewart supervised these personal and catering.
2) The Chamber (the politically important part) headed by the Lord Chamberlain.
